Displaying items by tag: Brexit

The following declaration is from Passion for the Nation: ‘We declare over our Parliament, over the EU and over all those involved in Brexit negotiations, that the Lord God is the Master Planner of heaven and earth. His plans are for good and not for evil, greater than every plan of man or the enemy to bring confusion, division or hopelessness. We come into agreement with His word, He is “the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist”. We stand as Your Ecclesia, and in the Name of Jesus we call forth the strategies of heaven over all matters concerning Brexit. We declare they will be seen, heard, endorsed and enacted by those called to policy-making at this time’.

The impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland - and its border with the Republic of Ireland - is one of the key issues being discussed in the early stages of UK-EU negotiations. Some feared a return to border checks that could undermine the Good Friday peace agreement and damage the economy. On 7 September the BBC reported that the EU wants Northern Ireland to have a different Brexit deal from the rest of the UK. The document says the UK should take responsibility for finding a ‘unique solution’ so that people can work, go to school or get medical treatment either side of the Irish border. The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier will publish details later. He said ‘a lot more substantive work’ is needed on the border issue.

New trade deals struck between the UK and third-party countries will depend on what Brexit secretary David Davis negotiates with Brussels. Pray for God to use him to shape and establish a Godly future for Britain’s commerce and industry. A free-trade area (FTA) is the region encompassing a trade bloc whose member countries have signed a free-trade agreement. These agreements involve cooperation to reduce trade barriers of import quotas and tariffs, to increase trade of goods and services with each other. Britain’s international trade minister is Liam Fox. Pray for God to strengthen him with wisdom as he seeks both international and EU trade deals. Britain could have to wait until Brexit is finalised to strike a deal with the USA, as Donald Trump has been ‘advised to wait and see’ what effects Brexit will have on the US economy. Pray for God to put His words in the mouths of the president’s advisors.

(Linda Digby, Prayer Alert team)

The UK Government has said it does not want any border posts between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after Brexit. Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire insists the proposals are realistic because of the trade involved for all sides. The UK stresses there should be no physical infrastructure, such as customs posts, at the border, which has almost 300 crossing points. Instead, the Government is arguing for a wide-ranging exemption under which small- and medium-sized businesses will not have to comply with any new customs tariffs. If the proposals are accepted, customs officials envisage using a mix of technology and physical checks to monitor the compliance of bigger businesses engaged in international trade. Critics are concerned that an open border might prove to be a ‘back door’ for EU citizens who wish to enter the UK without proper checks.

Brexit could injure food and farming or reform it; depending on whether we adopt, amend, or abolish about 4,500 EU regulations. If Michael Gove can highlight the future of our food and farming in negotiation and not reduce it to a bargaining chip, he could make interventions to change our food system for the better. Using government procurement for schools, hospitals, the military and prisons to favour healthy British food. He could adopt a joined-up policy and target subsidies to increase production of the sort we need for health – more fruit and vegetables, less sugar and intensive meat production. He could ensure new trade deals are built on maintaining welfare and environmental standards, not lowering them to compete in new markets. He could insist that continued access to foreign labour is tied to the industry, improving what are often appalling working conditions and pay so that British workers are drawn back to jobs they now shun. See also the Bishop of St Albans comments on ‘Food Security’ at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/09/food-security-has-to-be-a-brexit-priority?CMP=twt_gu

The Brexit teams meet this week after a delayed negotiation start. Pray for both Davis and Barnier as they compare their respective positions; may they make good progress, identifying differences and recognising similarities that can be reinforced. The Centre for European Policy Studies believes the delay is indicative of UK politicians’ division and infighting. Pray for a healing of rifts  during the summer break between chancellor Philip Hammond and his colleagues, and  for harmony when parliament resumes in September. Also many believe that, whether through arrogance or incompetence, the reputation of the Foreign Office has been undermined under Boris Johnson. His comment that ‘the EU could go whistle for its money in the Brexit negotiations’ opened a potential no-deal scenario which could dismantle the economy. Pray that Mr Johnson, a man of high intelligence, may reveal the more serious and credible side of his personality.

European Union’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Thursday 20 July that a ‘fundamental divergence’ with Britain remained on how to protect expats’ rights after Brexit, and insisted that the European Court of Justice should be the guarantor of the rights of citizens living abroad. Also, in a joint news conference with British Brexit secretary David Davis, he said Britain needed to provide clarification on the Brexit bill and on the Irish border at the next round of talks in late August. Expats’ rights, the financial settlement, and the Irish border are the three key issues to be solved before the EU is willing to begin talks on a future trade deal with Britain.

Europe will tackle the deep problems that drove Britons to vote Leave. The European Commission’s chief strategists say they now realise that they must change fundamentally to remain relevant to people's lives. Jean-Claude Juncker’s top officials argue that the EU is becoming more open and democratic, and that the future ‘must not be fudged or decided behind closed doors’. They directed their message to the British people, after some member states signalled that the door is still open if the UK wishes to be a part of the new future. Steve Baker, UK’s minister negotiating Brexit, said he wants the EU torn down, adding, ‘They realise that disintegration, illiberal democracy and populism are profoundly dangerous to our democratic traditions - the freedom and tolerance painstakingly built over decades, which has at times been taken for granted.’ The Archbishop of Canterbury called for a cross-party Brexit commission, saying that working together could draw much of the poison from Brexit debates.

Former Labour Cabinet minister Lord Adonis has called on his party to give its 'full support' to Philip Hammond's vision of a 'soft Brexit' instead of the 'ideologically crazed' alternative. He described himself as a 'progressive Christian' as opposed to the 'bigotry' of some conservative strands of the faith. Speaking on the same day as the Queen's Speech, he said, 'The overwhelming issue of importance is Brexit. There is clearly a battle going on between hard and soft Brexit, and it is entirely unclear at the moment where this might end up. But it seems to me vital that Britain doesn't leave the customs union or the single market.' On his faith, Lord Adonis said: 'I'm what I like to term a progressive Christian: I see no incompatibility at all between a strong Christian faith and being entirely liberal on social issues.' He also disapproved of Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron’s decision to resign last week, adding that it is perfectly possible to be a Christian and the leader of a progressive party.

Theresa May is pressing ahead with holding a Queen’s Speech to set out her plans for government, while negotiations continue with the Democratic Unionist Party about the nature of its support for her minority government. A senior Conservative source said that there was broad agreement with the DUP on the principles of the Queen's speech, but there is as yet no formal ‘confidence and supply’ deal which would tie the DUP into backing the government on key pieces of legislation. The four areas of agreement are strengthening the union; combating terrorism; delivering Brexit; and delivering prosperity across the whole country. However, some aspects of the Conservative manifesto, including scrapping free school lunches, expanding grammar schools, and means-testing winter fuel allowance for pensioners appear unlikely to be included.